While playgrounds and parks dot the Third Ward, Catalano Square is the neighborhood’s highest-profile green space. The centrally located triangle at the foot of Broadway hosts live music, a popcorn cart, public art and more. It also pays tribute to an influential family from the days when the Third Ward was Milwaukee’s Little Italy.
Who were the Catalanos?
“The Catalanos were the Italian family that helped to create the neighborhood,” says Gary Catalano, great-grandson of Vincenzo Catalano. Vincenzo and his four brothers – Mariano, Vincenzo, Agostino, Giovanni Battista and Antonio – were born in Sicily and traveled to Chicago in the 1880s. Having heard of opportunities in Milwaukee, they hopped a train.
